Twenty Four Seven || Adam Park

fourteen

Monday morning was... quite the show. I woke up well before I needed too and I thought that I would be nice, even though I had every reason not to be, and make my grandmother breakfast. I don't know why I thought it would be a good gesture. She didn't seem to like that, which honestly didn't surprise me. I don't even know why I tried to be nice. I should have just went back to bed for the hour and rushed out the door like I normally did. My grandmother hit me in the face with the spatula I had been using to cook with and it split my upper cheek and I was almost positive that I was going to have a black eye to match it.

I knew Adam was going to instantly notice it and say something about it. The others hadn't been so... observant. They might be now after my freak out on them the other day or if Adam told them. But I didn't think he would do that. I mean, yeah sure he told his grandmother... but that was a different story. Either way, my day at school was going to suck.

I left a few minutes early, purposely evading Aisha. She was probably upset with me after the other day anyways. It was misting out this morning and by the time I reached the school, it had started pouring out. I sighed and kept my head low as I walked to my locker. Adam was standing at his, facing the other way – so I hoped he wouldn't notice me until we got to class. That didn't happen though because I couldn't get my locker to open. So, I had no other choice but to ask for his help.

"Adam, I can't get my stupid locker open again." I sighed as I stood next to him. I made sure to keep my face pointed towards the ground so that he wouldn't make a scene about the mark on my face.

"These things are always pains... I don't know why they just don't have them fixed or replaced. Yours is especially annoying... not that I mind helping though." Adam said as he tried my combination twice, getting it on the second try.

"I would literally never be able to open this thing without your help." I muttered.

"I just have that magic touch!" he joked as he playfully nudged me in the shoulder.

"Thank you." I muttered, grabbing my materials.

"Here, let me carry those." Adam grabbed my books from my hands and then without thinking about it, I turned to the side to look at him and object but then he reached up and grabbed my face – turning it slightly so he could observe the cut on my cheek. "Explain."

"I'd rather not." I shook my head when he let go and closed his own locker.

"Fine, you don't have to tell me about it now – but I hope you at least do later when you come over to work on our project." Adam sighed, "Come on, let's get to class."

"Are the others mad at me... or lunch going to be super awkward?" I asked as I pushed my locker closed and started following Adam towards the stairs.

"They're not mad at you." He shook his head, "I promise all I told them was that you're just having a hard time right now and then I think they kind of understood when you mentioned your parents."

"What happened to your parents, if you don't mind me asking?" I looked at him before watching my feet as we walked the stairs.

"They both passed away a few months after I was born. I never knew them, and I've always lived with my grandma." He told me.

"I'm sorry to hear that." I frowned.

"Thank you, I can't say I know exactly how it feels though because I was younger when it happened. I can't imagine it happening now." He said as we entered Mr. Henderson's classroom, "I am always here though if you ever want to talk about it..."

"Does my cheek really look that bad?" I asked when I noticed a few people staring and them whispering when I took my seat at my desk.

"A little bit yes..." At least he was honest with me.